Time and distance at constant C: A sieries of questions for Umbran or other physicists.

[Scott DeWar]

The distance is measured in what? Meters? and the energy is what? Joules?

 

[Umbran]

The distance is measured in what? Meters? and the energy is what? Joules?

Typically. But really, the units don't matter so long as you are consistent about them.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Aha! Eureka, a simple explaining of the theory of special relativity!!!!

http://imgur.com/MoRhm

 

[Sadras]

This is such an awesome thread, love the topic, thanks @Scott DeWar. I played a little Eclipse Phase but we never got into this much detail...

 

[Scott DeWar]

It can get really messy if you try and put it to the gaming world.

 

[MarkB]

It can get really messy if you try and put it to the gaming world.

Especially if not everyone is on the same page. I've played some Traveller games at cons, and several players (including, in one notable case, the GM) had trouble just grasping basic orbital dynamics. I dread to think what it would've been like if relativity had been a major plot point.

 

[tomBitonti]

Two places where relativistic effects matter, but that can be absorbed in tables, is effects on projectile energies (say, what damage would be done by a 1KG projectile which is at 0.99 C), and on reaction times. Assuming near instantaneous acceleration and deceleration, an incoming ship might be just behind its wavefront, meaning, there is less time to react to the arrival of the ship than if the ship approached at a lower speed.

Also, energy costs and time taken to accelerate increases would become more and more severe and would have to be taken into account. Getting from the earth to mars at 0.99 C would cost a lot more than at 0.5 C. You could make cost tables that factored in the relativistic effects and ignore time dilation effects.

Thx!

TomB

 

[Scott DeWar]

Especially if not everyone is on the same page. I've played some Traveller games at cons, and several players (including, in one notable case, the GM) had trouble just grasping basic orbital dynamics. I dread to think what it would've been like if relativity had been a major plot point.

***gets 'messy head'***​

 

[Scott DeWar]

Bell's theorum on FTL communications

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/bells_theorem.png

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/bells_theorem.png

OMG... Bell's Theorem means we have no free will!